Dressel Divers Cozumel: Our Scuba Diving Experience at Iberostar
Iberostar Cozumel was my first introduction to Cozumel—and apparently it made an impression, because we went back six or seven times.
For us, one of the biggest draws was how easy it made a dive vacation. Dressel Divers operates the dive center right at the resort, the boats leave from the property, and many of Cozumel’s southern reefs are nearby. You can wake up, have breakfast, grab your dive gear, and be on your way underwater without building the entire day around getting to a marina.
Dressel also became part of several milestones in our family’s diving story. I completed my PADI Advanced Open Water certification with them in 2009. A couple of years later, my daughter and her best friend completed their Open Water certifications during a family trip. And when my son was 12, we returned with friends so he could complete his SSI Open Water referral dives in Cozumel.
We’ve since experienced Cozumel diving in a lot of different ways, from smaller independent operators to extended dive trips, but our years at Iberostar and Dressel gave us some wonderful memories—and a pretty good perspective on who this style of resort diving may be perfect for.
This guide shares our firsthand experience with Dressel Divers Cozumel, what we liked, what we’d want divers to understand before booking, and why the combination of an all-inclusive resort and an on-site dive operation can work especially well for families and dive groups.
Staying at Iberostar Waves Cozumel
Today the resort is officially called Iberostar Waves Cozumel, although longtime visitors will probably still think of it simply as Iberostar Cozumel. It’s an all-inclusive beachfront resort on Cozumel’s south side, with bungalow-style accommodations spread through tropical grounds.
One of the things we always enjoyed was the atmosphere of the property itself. Walking through the grounds felt more tropical and relaxed than staying in a large hotel tower, and seeing flamingos, peacocks and iguanas around the resort became part of the experience.
The resort currently offers three pools, including a children’s pool, Star Camp children’s activities, spa and fitness facilities, daily activities and evening entertainment, plus buffet and specialty dining. Dressel Divers operates the on-site dive center.
For a family where some people dive and others don’t, that’s one of Iberostar’s biggest advantages. The divers can head out with Dressel while everyone else still has a full resort day available to them.
Dory’s Take: During our stays, the pool area could get quite busy during peak periods, and finding lounge chairs wasn’t always easy. If your idea of paradise is a completely quiet boutique resort, that’s worth considering. If you want an active all-inclusive with diving practically outside your door, the setup can be incredibly convenient.
Diving With Dressel Divers at Iberostar Cozumel
Dressel Divers operates the on-site dive center at Iberostar Waves Cozumel, which is a big part of what makes the resort attractive to divers. Instead of arranging transportation to a marina each morning, you’re already where your dive day begins.
Dressel is a larger international dive operation rather than a small local dive shop. During our trips, that meant meeting instructors and divemasters from different parts of the world and diving as part of a more structured operation.
Dressel currently offers recreational diving along with PADI and SDI instruction in Cozumel, with options ranging from beginner experiences through advanced dive training. Courses, schedules and certification options can change, so check directly with Dressel for current availability and requirements.
That larger-operation structure is important to understand because it creates both advantages and tradeoffs. For us, the convenience was fantastic. Divers who prefer very small boats, completely flexible site selection or exceptionally long dives may prefer a different style of operator.
Our Family’s Dive Training With Dressel
Dressel Divers became part of several important milestones in our family’s diving history.
In 2009, I completed my PADI Advanced Open Water Diver certification with Dressel while we were staying at Iberostar Cozumel. I remember being able to study on the beach and having a private instructor for my course and certification dives. It was a great way to combine dive training with an actual vacation rather than feeling as though the entire trip revolved around a classroom.
In 2011, I returned with my daughter and her best friend. They studied during the week, completed their Open Water certifications before we headed home, and we were still able to enjoy plenty of recreational diving together during the vacation.
A few years later, when my son turned 12, we returned with a group of friends. By then I was an SSI Assistant Instructor, and my son arrived with an SSI Open Water referral so he could complete his checkout dives during our stay.
Watching him practice his skills in Cozumel was a very different experience from doing the training myself years earlier. Having the resort and dive operation in the same place made the logistics especially easy for a family dive trip.
What a Dive Day Was Like for Us
One of the reasons we returned so many times was convenience. Dressel’s location at Iberostar puts divers on Cozumel’s south side, close to many of the reefs we were there to dive.
During our trips, we could choose morning and/or afternoon two-tank diving. Surface intervals commonly included a stop back at the dock, which gave divers a chance for a quick bathroom break and allowed passengers to be picked up or dropped off. Water and fruit were typically available as snacks.
After diving, there was something pretty wonderful about simply walking back into the resort instead of getting into a car. Some of my favorite afternoons were nothing more complicated than finishing a couple of great dives and then sitting on the beach watching the Caribbean and waiting for sunset.
Important: This describes our experience during our stays. Dive schedules, boat procedures, snacks, site rotations and other operational details can change, so confirm the current setup directly with Dressel Divers.
Who Dressel Divers May Be a Good Fit For
Based on our experiences, I think the Dressel/Iberostar combination makes the most sense for divers who place a high value on convenience—especially families, groups with both divers and non-divers, newer divers who want an established dive center at their resort, and travelers who like the simplicity of an all-inclusive vacation.
We found the staff personable and professional, and the resort location made reaching Cozumel’s southern reef system easy. Having the dive center, boat departure, accommodations, meals and family activities all in one place removed a lot of logistics from our trips.
The tradeoff is that Dressel is a larger operation. During our stays, boats could carry multiple dive groups, our dives were generally around 45–50 minutes, and dive-site selection followed a more structured schedule. We also primarily explored the southern reef sites with them.
None of those things automatically makes one style of diving better than another—it depends on what you want from your trip. Today, Jefé and I often enjoy smaller-group diving and greater flexibility, but there was a reason we returned to Iberostar and Dressel again and again, especially during those years when we were combining family vacations with dive training.
Resort Diving vs. a Smaller Cozumel Dive Operator
If you’re deciding between Dressel Divers and one of Cozumel’s smaller independent operators, think less about which is “best” and more about how you want your dive vacation to work.
Dressel’s biggest advantage at Iberostar is integration: your room, meals, beach, family activities and dive operation are all in one place. A smaller operator may offer smaller groups, more flexibility in site selection, longer bottom times or a more personalized dive-day rhythm.
We’ve enjoyed both styles over the years.
If you want to compare some of our other experiences, read about Dive With Julio and Jungle Divers Cozumel, or explore my Best Diving in Cozumel guide for more about the reefs and dive sites themselves.
Planning a Stay-and-Dive Trip
One advantage of having Dressel Divers located directly at Iberostar Waves Cozumel is the ability to plan the resort stay and diving together. Dressel currently offers Stay & Dive packages that combine an Iberostar stay with multiple days of diving, and other dive packages can also be booked separately.
Package details, included dives, Nitrox availability, transfers and pricing can change, so check Dressel Divers directly for current options before booking your trip.
Plan Your Stay in Cozumel
Exploring Cozumel is even better when you have a comfortable home base to come back to. At We've Gone Coastal, you can choose between our beach villa at Costa del Sol on Cozumel's south side or our oceanfront condo at El Cantil in San Miguel.
Beach Villa at Costa del Sol
Spacious 3-bedroom, 3-bath villa steps from the beach, Caribbean Sea, Costa del Sol's oceanfront infinity pool, and private community pier.
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Oceanfront Condo at El Cantil
Spacious 4-bedroom, 4-bath oceanfront condo with Caribbean views, a heated saltwater pool, private community pier, and walkable San Miguel location.
Explore Our Oceanfront Condo at El Cantil →
Ready to make Cozumel your home base for a while?
Stay with us at We've Gone Coastal and start planning your own island adventures.
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